Bleeding Love
by Sportfanatic2007
Summary: This fic is based on Tea and Todd's romance. Tea realizes she still loves Todd, even though she thought otherwise. Fifth and final chapter is up! Feedback is welcome and appreciated!
1. Tea's Realization

**Disclaimer**: I do not own "One Life to Live" or anything associated with it. I am merely borrowing the ideas for a little bit of fun. Enjoy!

Tea Delgado was a fierce defense attorney who usually knew--and got--what she wanted. At times, it came at other people's expense. However, there was one subject that often left her feeling like a confused teenager: love.

She had been in and out of love more times than she could count. Every time, in some way or another, her heart was broken. It was at the point in her life where she could never love again. Or so she thought.

It was February 11 that she had a revelation. Tea was going through boxes of papers and photos, organizing them. After about an hour, she came across a photo of Todd Manning, the man she was in love with, and even married to, most recently. The picture wasn't as recent as the wedding. In fact, it was from a few years earlier, when the two had first fallen in love.

Almost at the same moment that Tea found that picture, the song "Bleeding Love" came on the radio that Tea forgot was on. The song, along with the picture made her feel somewhat emotional as she realized something.

"Oh my gosh," said Tea, staring at the picture. "I thought that I could never love again, but I'm still in love with this guy, no matter what anyone else says."

She was referring to a woman named Blair Cramer. Blair was married to Todd five times. Three of those marriages ended in divorce. The other two were annulled. Even though Todd had moved on from Blair and eventually married Tea, Blair still had to do everything she could to get Todd back. She had no success.

_But I don't care what they say  
__I'm in love with you  
__They try to pull me away  
__But they don't know the truth  
__My heart's crippled by the vein  
__That I keep on closing  
__You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__I keep bleeding  
__I keep, keep bleeding love  
__Keep bleeding  
Keep, keep bleeding love  
__You cut me open_

As the chorus played on, Tea felt tears in her eyes and decided that she needed to talk to Todd.

"This song is so true," she said, "I have to tell Todd how I feel about him. Even if he doesn't love me, I want him to know that I still love him."

With those words, Tea picked up the phone and made a call that she wouldn't forget.


	2. Tea Invites Todd Over

With her heart pounding out of her chest, Tea dialed Todd's number. Todd answered after two rings.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hi, Todd," said Tea, "It's Tea."

"May I ask what this call is about, Tea?" said Todd.

"I have something to tell you," said Tea, feeling a little nervous, "but I can't say it over the phone."

"Oh?" said Todd, sounding a little surprised.

"Yes, it's that important," said Tea, sounding a little bit like a know it all, " I was wondering if you could come over."

After a few moments of silence, during which Tea felt just as nervous as she was earlier, Todd replied, "Give me a half hour."

"Okay," said Tea, "See you then."

After the two hung up, and with her heart still racing, Tea said, "I'm really going to tell this guy that I'm still in love with him, no matter what he thinks!"

Tea gave herself a moment to let it sink in, then went upstairs to get dressed for Todd's visit.


	3. I'm Still in Love With You

Todd arrived at Tea's house exactly half an hour after getting off the phone with her. As he walked up to the front door, he thought to himself, "What is so important that she couldn't tell it to me over the phone?"

After making his way to the door, Todd rang the doorbell. Tea answered and said, "Hi, Todd. Please come in."

Todd simply replied, "Of course."

Once he entered and took his jacket off, Todd said, "You said you had something important to tell me, Tea."

"I do," replied Tea, "This is something that I didn't want to tell you over the phone."

"Go on," said Todd.

"I wanted to tell you this in person because I wanted to see your reaction, not just hear it," said Tea, who was feeling totally nervous at this point.

"What is it?" asked Todd, "Is anything wrong at all?"

"No, everything's fine," Tea replied, "In fact, I'm feeling a bit happier than I have in a long time."

"Just spit it out already, Tea!" yelled Todd, who was felling a combination of angry and confused at this point.

"Okay," said Tea, with butterflies in her stomach, "I'm still in love with you, Todd Manning, and no one or nothing can change that."

After getting her feelings off her chest, Tea felt happy and relieved. She did exactly what she wanted to do, and it didn't matter what Todd thought.

Todd's mouth dropped open. He was shocked because Tea had not made mention of this in the longest time.

Tea went on to say, "Now, I don't know how you feel about me, but it was something that I had to tell you."

Todd just stared at Tea, looking stunned at this revelation. After a few moments, he said, "Wow. I have no idea that you still loved me."

"Really?" said Tea, who felt like her heart just sank to her toes.

"Yes," said Todd, who could see that Tea was surprised at his reaction. "Actually, I have something to tell you as well."

Tea thought to herself, "Oh my. I probably just ruined it and made a fool of myself. He'll probably never speak to me again."

"I've been thinking about this for some time myself," said Todd, "and I want you to know that I still love you too, Tea Delgado."

With those words, Tea burst into tears. She was not sure whether to feel happy, because Todd still loved her, or confused, because she had tried to figure out his feelings for her for the longest time.


	4. Fight and Reconciliation

As Tea was crying, Todd looked at her and asked, "What's wrong, Tea?"

Tea shook her head and said, "I spent so much time feeling confused about how we felt about each other, and now I know that we have the same feelings toward each other."

"Wait. You said you were "confused" about us?" asked Todd.

"Yeah," said Tea, who was almost regretting what she had just told Todd.

"My God, Tea!" yelled Todd, who was angry that she was confused in the first place.

"Before you get any more angry or upset, I just want you to know that after all the other times my heart was broken I wasn't sure that I could love again," said Tea, as tears were coming back into her eyes.

As Tea said those words, "Bleeding Love" came back on to the radio that Tea kept forgetting was on. It was the second time in two hours that she heard the song.

_Closed off from love  
__I didn't need the pain  
__Once or twice was enough  
__And it was all in vain  
__Time starts to pass  
__Before you know it you're frozen_

_But something happened  
__For the very first time with you  
__My heart melts into the ground  
__Found something true  
__And everyone's looking round  
__Thinking I'm going crazy_

Todd realized that she was taking about all the times that he broke her heart in the past to be with Blair. He also thought about Ross Rayburn (Tea's ex-husband) and Blair's attempts to ruin everything. His heart felt like it dropped to the floor at that moment.

_But I don't care what they say  
__I'm in love with you  
__They try to pull me away  
__But they don't know the truth  
__My heart's crippled by the vain  
__That I keep on closing  
__You cut me open and I_

Todd then went on to say, "Even so, you should have told me, so we could work it out."

_Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__I keep bleeding  
__I keep, keep bleeding love  
__Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__You cut me open_

Tea simply yelled, "Yeah, right! You were too busy with Blair!"

_Trying heard not to hear  
__But they talk so loud  
__Their piercing sounds fill my ears  
__Try to fill me with doubt  
__Yet I know that the goal is to keep me from falling_

Todd was left speechless for a moment before saying, "That was the past, Tea. I don't love her anymore. I love you."

_But nothing's greater  
__Than the rush that comes with your embrace  
__And in this world of loneliness  
__I see your face  
__Yet everyone around me  
__Thinks that I'm going crazy, maybe, maybe_

Tea just looked at Todd and asked, "Really?"

Todd simply said, "Yes."

_But I don't care what they say  
__I'm in love with you  
__They try to pull me away  
__But they don't know the truth  
__My heart's crippled by the vain  
__That I keep on closing  
__You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love__I  
keep bleeding  
__I keep, keep bleeding love  
__Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__You cut me open_

Once again, Tea's eyes welled up with tears. This time, she was sure that they were happy tears.

_And it's draining all of me  
__Oh they find it hard to believe  
__I'll be wearing these scars  
__For everyone to see_

When she realized that Todd was watching her cry again, Tea looked at him and said, "I'm crying because I feel happy that you really love me, Todd. My heart is bleeding love for you."

_But I don't care what they say  
__I'm in love with you  
__They try to pull me away  
__But they don't know the truth  
__My heart's crippled by the vain  
__That I keep on closing  
__You cut me open and I_

_Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__I keep bleeding  
__I keep, keep bleeding love  
__Keep bleeding  
__Keep, keep bleeding love  
__You cut me open_

Todd wrapped Tea in his arms and gave her a big hug. He said, "As long as you love me, then I love you."

With a smile on her face, Tea said, "I love you, Todd."

Todd replied, "I love you too, Tea."


	5. Nothing Could Be Better

After embracing in their hug, Todd said, "Well, I must be going now."

Tea replied with a tiny frown, "So soon?"

Todd said, "Yes, I do I have some things I must take care of."

Tea asked, "Well, are we going to see each other again? You know, like a date?"

Todd grinned at Tea and said, "Are you asking me on a date, Tea Delgado?"

Tea giggled and blushed. She then smiled and said, "I guess I am, Todd."

Todd smiled and replied, "I accept. What day are you thinking of?"

Tea thought for a moment. She knew exactly what day she wanted for this date, which would be her first with Todd in some time.

"How about Friday night, around 7:30?" asked Tea.

"Perfect," said Todd, with a huge smile. "A Valentine's Day date with the woman I love."

"Oh, yes," said Tea, "Valentine's Day at 7:30."

"See you then," said Todd, as he gave Tea a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay. I love you," said Tea.

"I love you," said Todd as he walked out the door.

After Todd had left, Tea was grinning from ear to ear. The man she loved, even though she had her doubts, loved her as well. The two were going to be spending Valentine's Day together, and nothing could have made Tea happier.

"I knew deep down that Todd loved me. Even with my doubts, love brought us back together," said Tea, with a happy sigh. "Nothing could be better than this. Nothing at all."

With those words, she went to her bedroom, floating on cloud nine. Todd was back in her life, and it was all love for each other. Her life was the best it was in a long time, and nothing could change that at all.

* * *

Credit to Leona Lewis for the song lyrics! I love this song and wanted to work it into a fic!


End file.
